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Language Requirements (M.A. in English)
Knowledge of a nonnative language is required for the M.A. in English with a specialization in Literature or Literature and the Teaching of Reading and for the M.A. in TESL/Applied Linguistics.
Students in either Literature specialization of the M.A. in English
Native speakers of English
All students completing the M.A. degree in English with either specialization in Literature must complete a requirement in the study of language. Students must do one of the following:
- complete two years or their equivalent of college-level study in a single foreign language with an average grade of C or higher OR
- take the placement exam (in German, French, or Spanish) offered by the Department of World Languages and Cultures and achieve a score certifying proficiency in that language equivalent to satisfactory completion of two years at the college level OR
- complete, with a grade of B or higher, English 523: Introduction to Old English Language and Literature* OR
- complete, with a grade of B or higher, 3 credit hours of graduate linguistics
Nonnative speakers of English
To satisfy the language requirement, nonnative speakers of English must pass the English Placement Test (EPT) as a graduate student or qualify for one of the EPT exemptions listed below; if students fail the EPT, they will be required to take English classes.
The following groups of students are exempt from taking the EPT:
- Students who have received a bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. degree from an English-speaking university in the U.S.A., Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, or Australia do not have to take the EPT.
- Students with a TOEFL score of 640 or above (paper-based TOEFL), 270 or above (computer-based TOEFL), or 105 and above (internet-based TOEFL) are exempt from taking the EPT.
- Any student with a score of 8.0 or above on the IELTS is also exempt from taking the EPT.
Students who meet the first category of exemptions above will need to submit a form of Graduate English Requirement Approval. The form can be downloaded at http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/forms/forms.html. Students meeting one of the other categories need not take any action in regard to the exemption.
| Graduate courses taken to satisfy the Language Requirement may also be applied, where appropriate, on the POS of either Literature specialization for the M.A. in English. |
| *English 523 can be used to satisfy either the Language Requirement or a literature course requirement (e.g., pre-1865 British literature), but NOT BOTH. |
| The Language Requirement form has to be submitted with the Program of Study form to the Graduate English Office. See the Assistant Director of Graduate Education for assistance in filling out the form and obtaining its supporting documentation. |
Students in the M.A. in TESL/Applied Linguistics
The spirit of this requirement is that students will have had a language learning experience before they graduate, either in the recent past or concurrent with working toward their degree.
Native speakers of English
The following are the most typical ways for native speakers of English to fulfill the requirement. Students who believe they have fulfilled the spirit of the requirement in other ways can write a petition explaining their situation. To satisfy the language requirement, students must
- have completed one year or its equivalent of college-level study in a single language with a grade of B or higher, as shown on a transcript, no more than five years before beginning graduate work in the TESL/Applied Linguistics program; students who finished at least one year of college-level language study more than five years before beginning graduate work in TESL/Applied Linguistics must complete one semester of college-level study of any foreign language with a grade of B or higher, concurrent with working toward the degree OR
- complete one year or its equivalent of college-level study in a single language, with a grade of B or higher in the second semester, concurrent with working toward the degree OR
- demonstrate proficiency in a single language by means of an approved examination at a level equivalent to one year of college-level study OR
- provide clear evidence of a bilingual background
Nonnative speakers of English
To satisfy the language requirement, nonnative speakers of English must pass the English Placement Test (EPT) as a graduate student or qualify for one of the EPT exemptions listed below; if students fail the EPT, they will be required to take English classes.
The following groups of students are exempt from taking the EPT:
- Students who have received a bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. degree from an English-speaking university in the U.S.A., Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, or Australia do not have to take the EPT.
- Students with a TOEFL score of 640 or above (paper-based TOEFL), 270 or above (computer-based TOEFL), or 105 and above (internet-based TOEFL) are exempt from taking the EPT.
- Any student with a score of 8.0 or above on the IELTS is also exempt from taking the EPT.
Students who meet the first category of exemptions above will need to submit a form of Graduate English Requirement Approval. The form can be downloaded at http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/forms/forms.html. Students meeting one of the other categories need not take any action in regard to the exemption.
| All graduate students in the TESL/Applied Linguistics M.A. program whose first language is not English are required to pass the Oral English Certification Test (OECT) as part of their program. To pass the Oral English Certification Test (OECT), students must receive a Level 1 pass and be fully certified. Check with your adviser or the International TA Program Office for further information. Students with high scores on the IBT TOEFL, the IELTS, or the TSE may be exempted from taking one or both of the Oral English Certification Test (OECT) components. Information on who needs to take the Oral English Certification Test (OECT) and a list of scores that qualify for exemptions appear on the International TA Program Web site. |
| The Graduate College Language Requirement form has to be submitted with the Program of Study form to the Graduate English Office. See the Assistant Director of Graduate Education for assistance in filling out the form and obtaining its supporting documentation. |
